Pia + Tommy // Estate Yountville

It has been a minute since I last blogged, and although I love publishing my work and sharing a bit of background on my weddings, clients, and all the incredible vendors I get to work with, there simply is not enough hours in a day to prioritize blogging these days…

HOWEVER…

Pia and Tommy’s wedding needed immediate blogging attention because their day was something out of an ethereal dream, and I still can’t shake the magic from it. Their wedding day was the most beautiful hybrid of modern and bold, with fine art details and expert styling throughout. The orchid arches stole the “wedding decor” show, and the dueling pianos for the dance party had me screaming with joy from behind my camera. From the donut wall, In N Out late night delivery, and t-shirt swag thrown into the crowd, this was hands down one of the best (+prettiest) parties I’ve ever been to, and easily one of the sweetest couples I’ve ever worked with.

THANK YOU Pia and Tommy for trusting us vendors to do our thing, and for being so warm and welcoming throughout the entire process. Still on cloud nine from this day…

Coordination + Design @curatedbygw 

Venue @theestateyountville 

Beauty @carriealdous 

Photography @d_lillian

Videography @studioarcady

Florist @eothen_

Pianos @the_killer_dueling_pianos

Harpist @kristastraderharpist 

Signage @shimmerandstain 

Rentals @brighteventrentals 

TJ + Stephanie // Piedmont Wedding

To know TJ and Stephanie, even just barely, is to love them completely. I met these two at the beginning of 2020, moments before the world shut down, and we frolicked around some old Sausalito bunkers for their engagement session. It was one of the most magical engagement sessions I’ve ever had, and we clicked quite instantly. It got me so excited for their October 2020 wedding…which, not-so-spoiler-alert…was cancelled and rescheduled for 2021. Luckily, I was available on their new wedding date, and we were able to resume with what ended up being one of the most laid back, charming weddings of the year.

What I loved about this wedding in particular is that TJ and Stephanie made the intentional choice to do things their way for their wedding day. They got ready together in a hotel room (but not before lounging in robes while drinking champagne because WHY NOT), they did ALL the family photos and bride and groom portraits prior to the ceremony, and they really did have any sort agenda other than to get married and spend quality time with their favorite people. Absolutely nothing was rushed about their wedding day, and I loved watching them be present for each other at all moments of the day.

Cheers to the sweetest sweethearts! Thank you for sticking it through with me, and for hiring me twice! :)

Catie + Greg // Palace of Fine Arts Wedding

“How did I get so lucky?” has been the theme of this insanely hectic wedding season. Every. Single. Client. has been beyond wonderful to work with, and all have made me feel so valued and appreciated in a way that makes me feel like they might possibly understand how hard things have been in the last year for those of us in the event industry. Catie and Greg were no exception to this, and we effortlessly clicked when we met a few months prior to their wedding for their SF engagement session. Hanging with them for just that one hour on this day had me feeling like they were old friends, and I was beyond elated to see them again on their wedding day.

Catie and Greg’s wedding day went on to be absolutely perfect, and their calm, loving energy made this one of the easiest work days I’ve ever had. They trusted me completely, and that kind of validation makes it possible for me to approach the day with originality and creativity, and produce some of my best work. Very thankful for these two beautiful humans, CONGRATULATIONS, newlyweds!

Photo //  D.Lillian Photography

Venues // Palace of Fine Arts & Gallery 308

Video // Moving Pictures

Catering, Bar // Anaviv Events

Dessert // Tartine Bakery

Floral // Orange Moon Floral

Music // Tainted Love Band

HMU // D+A Bridal

Rentals // Standard Event Rentals

Transportation // Big Bus Tours SF

Planning, Design // Jenni Grubba Events

Emma + Adam // Timber Cove Wedding

Never could I have imagined that after a totally cancelled wedding season, I'd be having my favorite "work" year, and amid (a very relentless) global pandemic. Not only has this year brought me beautiful venues, scenic road trips, and very impressive vendor food, but there has been such a refreshing sense of, "we're in this together" energy with all of these wonderful couples, and their rescheduling loyalty really got me through a "zero out of 10, do NOT recommend" kind of year last year.

I may have only met Adam and Emma ON the day of their absolutely stunning Timber Cove wedding, but they were quick to treat me like an old friend and their warm presence was palpable. To know them for any length of time is to be mystified by their generosity and to love them completely. Their laid back, fun-loving attitude made it easy for me to get into my creative zone, and it meant the world to me that they gave me their trust without knowing me at all before this day. It's couples like Adam and Emma that keep me wondering how I got so lucky, and help to fuel my passion of being a wedding photographer.

Congratulations to these two, and thank you so incredibly much for letting me be a part of your unforgettable wedding. I have still not come down from the high of this perfect day.

Special thanks to all the incredible vendors I got to work with on this day:

@maryhuynhphoto

@sharkpigweddings

@w_i_n_k_a_r_t

@timbercoveresort

@bloomgeneration

@soundselevated

@sogoodphotobooth

@beauty_on_set

@butter_and

@encoreeventsrentals

@foundrentalco

@thevesselrentalco

@jennigrubbaevents

@taylorkimiko

Jessica + Chris // The Olympic Club, SF

Classic, timeless, and "quintessentially San Francisco" best describes Jessica and Chris's wedding at the Olympic Club, and I've been missing this day, this couple, and those burger dogs ever since (if you know, you know)...

It has been awhile since I've shot an indoor wedding, and this particular venue boasted ceiling to floor windows, offering the best San Francisco views that showcased the familiar, beloved fog we have all grown to love. The venue, as objectively striking as it is, is not what I'm excited about on this day. It's getting to tell the story of Chris and Jessica through my lens, a couple who I have loved and admired since the day I got their first email (which naturally feels like forever ago because Covid+rescheduled weddings).

I have been doing this long enough to know that you can learn so much about a couple through the speeches of friends and family members at these weddings. It comes as no surprise, but it was unanimous that this couple is so loved beyond measure by their community and every speech was testimony to their thoughtful, selfless, and loving personalities. From beginning to end, these two were so amazing to work with, ending every email and tackling every "covid wedding planning" obstacle by saying, "thank you for sticking with us through this mess". I'm definitely the lucky one though.

Cheers to such a lovely, special couple who I missed immediately after this day was over.

Lily + Alex // Timber Cove Micro Wedding

I'll never stop saying it: I love micro weddings. I hope they never go away and I hope people continue to ask me to shoot them in stunning locations and I hope I get to continue pretending I'm the quirky/odd cousin out of the tight knit family that is in attendance.

If you haven't been to Timber Cove Resort, think: absurdly beautiful coastal views with cozy cabin vibes, modern amenities and legit food options, and a bed so comfy that you can trust fall safely and fall asleep immediately. Lily and Alex's micro wedding here knocked my Blundstone boots right off, and I've been wondering if I should uproot my entire life and move to Jenner, California, ever since.

I loved the way these two approached their wedding day. They did away many wedding traditions, and unanimously decided that if they were going to keep it small, they wanted to do things in a way that would speak to who they are, and how they love. What was especially refreshing was hearing the guest speeches during the ceremony, and everyone had prepared something deeply genuine for the couple during this time. Post-ceremony, they shared a toast with these friends and family, and I watched as they remained hyper-present for their guests and each other, for the entire day.

I experienced IMMEDIATE post-wedding blues the day after this wedding, as this was a couple I had such a wonderful, instant connection with from the very beginning, and it made me so happy to see the way they changed their big wedding plans into something intimate, and deeply personal. It feels impossible to feel nostalgia for a day that only just passed, but micro weddings BE like that...

Cheers to this lovely, outrageously fun+ funny couple. Please accept me as your life photographer??

Sarah + Luke // Sea Ranch Elopement

I have been LOVING all these deeply personal ways in which my couples are choosing to get married these days. With all of the 2020 rescheduled weddings, so many of my clients have pivoted to change not only the headcount, but their entire wedding vision altogether this year, and many of them have opted for small, intimate gatherings and elopements, like this breathtaking one at Sea Ranch from last month.

Sarah and Luke's Sea Ranch elopement was an absolute dream to capture, and I am still daydreaming about it even a month later. Known for its objective beauty and specific, unique architecture, this was my first time visiting the town of Sea Ranch, and the coastal road trip alone left me breathless and overjoyed with the quintessential Northern California landscape that is not (too) far from home. If the feeling of wanderlust was a place, Sea Ranch unanimously embodies it.

My jaw dropped the second I showed up to this pristine, mid-century inspired Airbnb to greet Sarah and Luke for their elopement. Normally I get work day jitters that dissipate within 10 minutes, but I knew the story I wanted to tell immediately, and I got right into my vision's mind and got to work. The day unfolded so perfectly, with a backyard ceremony in the meadow with the ocean as our backdrop, and I weeped from behind my camera during their vows as they perfectly articulated their first date, but from their own perspective. We then gallivanted around as many places that would speak to the true uniqueness of Sea Ranch and that two hours of coverage would allow, and stopped when we were windblown and satisfied with the adventure we chose on that day.

Special thanks to this outrageously kind, and open-hearted couple for letting me do my thing on this day, and for giving me a front row seat into such an unforgettable day.

Lianne + Nik // Paros, Greece Wedding

In the depths of my 2020 Covid stress, I often wandered over and through the thought of, "Can my photography business can come back from this?", and while I braced myself for a possibly wonky 2021 wedding season and potentially more rescheduled weddings, I pleaded with the universe to let this wedding that has been on my calendar for what feels like forever remain unscathed. Greece opened its borders to tourism only a few weeks before this wedding was scheduled (not stressy at ALL), and it was the biggest Christmas miracle (in July), and wiped away all residual Covid-blues from the moment we landed.

Every once in awhile, I get to shoot not only incredible destination weddings, but I also get to shoot weddings for very special, dear people in my life. This wedding was a combination of both, and I have known the bride, Lianne, and her family for what feels like a lifetime, and they have been such amazing supporters of me/my entire family for as long as I can remember. It felt only natural to volunteer myself for the role of Lianne and Nik's wedding photographer, and I was really excited when they didn't reject this offer/me. :)

Lianne and Nik have one of those love stories that feels too "The Notebook" to be real, but truly and wholeheartedly, they were meant to find each other again in this exact season of life. Their story is not mine to share, but it's a heartmelter, and it made this wedding day so special to document. I have never seen such a bright, permanent smile on Lianne, and it brings me such friend-peace to know that she found her person, and to meet Nik even just once, is to love him forever.

Cheers this couple that made this trip possible, and also ruined me on international vacations. I really can't understand why i'd ever-ever go anywhere else.

Jessie + Mike // Bodega Los Alamos Wedding

I think a large majority of people might loathe a solo 5+ hour car ride, but not this mom of two who (barely) survived the pandemic, and is forever enjoying every.bit. of solo time that (hardly ever) exists. All this is to say that when Jessie and Mike had to move their Aptos wedding to Los Alamos, I was ALL FOR IT, especially when they revealed that Bodega Los Alamos was their new venue...

Beyond the beautiful drive and the 10 podcast episodes I was able to get in, driving through the itty bitty town of Los Alamos made me feel like I was instantly on vacation. The town itself was both quirky and vibrant, and I got strong Marfa vibes as I drove through the town "strip" and pulled into the venue parking lot. I had been dying to see this venue in person, and if you're wondering if it's cute enough to plan an entire road trip around, it is, and you should.

I had already anticipated easy-going and kind clients based on all of our email exchanges, but Jessie and Mike were BEYOND LOVELY, and so my kind of people. Mike gave me a big hug upon arrival and Jessie and I said at the exact same time, "It's so nice to finally meet you!", and it set the easy-going vibes for the whole day. I must have said to myself, "I love my job so damn much" about 25 times on this day, and it was such a privilege to get the opportunity to travel to such a lovely location, be all the way back at work, and surrounded by the good energy that Jessie and Mike and their wedding guests exuded all day long. Don't even get me started on seeing people on the dancefloor again...

Cheers to one of the sweetest couples who somehow made me feel like a wedding guest on this day (and let me take home the fanciest beer!).

Special thanks to the following vendors who were extra amazing to work with on this day:

Venue: Bodega Los Alamos

Planning: Wunderland & Co.

Florals: Fluid Bloom

Catering: Lucca WoodFired

Hair & makeup: The Queens Bees

DJ: DJ Curly

Photo bus: Bessy The Foto Bus

Rentals: Amigo Party Rentals

Cake: Solvang Bakery

Hailey + Alex // Santa Rosa Airbnb Wedding

You know you're getting old when some of the client inquiries that show up in your inbox are from kids that you used to babysit, and now they are full blown ENGAGED adults, asking if you will be their wedding photographer. This was absolutely the case with this outrageously stunning microwedding I recently shot for Hailey and Alex, and I may or may not have seen Hailey since she was an actual child who was begging to stay up past her bedtime.

Nothing could have prepared me for how beautiful this day was. Hailey had previously sent me the address to this airbnb they were getting married at, and while the pictures were stunning, seeing it in person was an entirely different experience. It was dream home status. And in so many ways, it felt like my dream venue to shoot a wedding in. I walked in that house, and truly felt like I knew exactly what story I wanted to tell, and got straight to work on capturing such a gorgeous, unforgettable wedding day.

Not only did I get a "unicorn venue" opportunity on this day, but I also had the BEST, "do your thing, we trust you!" kind of clients on this day. Hailey and Alex were so warm and inviting, and they were completely comfortable with taking direction and they really just let me geek out in that house and with that light, and with all the shadows and textures we found along the way. They booked me for two hours on this day, and I feel like we made some real 'team magic', and in record time.

With things opening back up and full weddings starting to resume, I sure hope these microweddings stick. I have come to love these intimate gatherings and the stress-free vibes that follow, and the timeline feels so organic on these days. Cheers to these two for creating a dream wedding under some not-so-ideal conditions, and to Hailey for remembering that her vintage babysitter is a wedding photographer.